ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — there
  5. craft — boats
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. row — to paddle
  11. key — the most important part
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. craft — a skill
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bulb — for light
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. row — a line
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. present — the time now
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bulb — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com